Should I Feed My Horse Lucerne?

Lucerne is a valuable source of energy, and it can help keep your horse’s weight in check. Due to the level of proteins, it is very useful for feeding horses that are growing, horses in intense work, or mares used for breeding. The fiber found in Lucerne is a great source of the energy.

Is lucerne OK for horses?

Lucerne Hay and Grass Hay being the most popular. Lucerne Hay is a favourite hay for horses and contains ample protein (between 15% – 18%). For some horses, this may be more than they require. Lucerne is an excellent option (due to high protein levels) for Foals, Mares with foals at foot, and growing horses.

How much lucerne should I give my horse?

As a rule of thumb, allow 1.5 to 2 kg of feed per 100 kg of the horse’s body weight. However, it is safer to use 1.7% of body weight (or 1.7 kg per 100 kg of body weight) to calculate a feed budget.

How much lucerne can a horse have?

Lucerne (otherwise known as alfalfa) is a legume not a grass and due to its high nutrient density and digestibility it should only comprise approximately 1/10 of your horses total forage ration.

Can too much lucerne cause laminitis?

Actual protein intake depends entirely on how much is fed. There are some insulin resistant/elevated insulin horses that can’t tolerate Lucerne and these horses should never be fed Lucerne. In this case, Lucerne for these horses is a risk factor for laminitis.

Can lucerne cause colic in horses?

Indigestible fibre does serve a purpose in the horse, as it keeps the digesta moving through the digestive tract, like a laxative, which is also important for the health of the horse. But too much indigestible fibre increases the risk of impaction colic and reduces the energy supplied by the hay.

Does lucerne give horses diarrhea?

Lucerne/Alfalfa… if it is really fresh and green it will often cause scouring/diarrhea.

Can you feed too much lucerne?

However, you may have to caution customers to watch a horse’s intake of lucerne, as too much can quickly cause weight gain. A horse that eats a diet rich in grass hay can eat more of it without worrying about becoming too heavy.

Can you feed too much lucerne hay?

However, when feeding alfalfa to growing horses, the amount fed should not exceed the growing horse’s energy requirements. Growing horses fed energy in excess of their RDI’s have a much higher chance of suffering from developmental orthopaedic diseases including osteochondritis dissecans (OCD).

What is the healthiest hay for horses?

Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

Why does lucerne make horses hot?

Lucerne Hay contains approximately 18% Protein, 28% Fiber and 16g/kg DM (Dry Matter) of Calcium (https://www.feedipedia.org/node/275). It’s also high in Vitamin K and E. Due to the high amounts of Digestible Energy released it does tend to make horses go hot when fed on its own or in high quantities.

Does lucerne make a horse hot?

Grains and grain based feeds, molasses and forages like alfalfa/lucerne hay tend to be commonly blamed for making horses ‘hot’.

Is lucerne good for laminitis?

Because it is lower in ‘sugars’ than grass, Lucerne/Alfalfa is often recommended as forage for horses and ponies with EMS and laminitis.

Is lucerne good for laminitic horses?

Supplements for laminitic horses
Additional protein from copra meal, soybean hulls, cracked lupins, or lucerne meal can also be carefully added to the horse’s diet.

Can laminitic horses eat lucerne?

For a laminitic prone horse/pony, low sugar roughage sources may include Teff hay, Rhodes grass hay, lucerne hay, beet pulp or soaked grass hay.

Is alfalfa hay the same as lucerne?

Lucerne hay is also known as alfalfa in some parts of the world– for example in North America. The term alfalfa is a Spanish adjustment of the Arabic word al-faṣfaṣa.

What is the nutritional value of lucerne?

Nutritive value
It contains 18-22% crude protein and 25-35% crude fibre according to the maturity.

What is the number one cause of colic in horses?

The most common types of colic are related to impaction, in which undigested feed or foreign bodies such as parasites block the movement of digesta through the intestines and cecum. More serious cases involving “twisted gut” can block blood flow to the area, causing tissue death.

Is lucerne or oaten hay better for horses?

With oaten chaff, it is obvious that there is almost no leaf to be found and almost all stem. The amount of indigestible fiber is much higher in oaten chaff or hay than in most types of lucerne/alfalfa, which means that the amount of energy a horse can get from it is lower.

How can I firm up my horses poop?

Hays with increased water-holding capacity may help to improve fecal consistency in horses with loose stools. Generally, grass hays such as Timothy hay are recommended over Alfalfa hay. Short fibre hay cubes, pellets or chopped hay are generally recommended over long fibre hay for horses with gastrointestinal upset.

What are horses lacking when they eat poop?

Studies have linked manure-eating in adult horses to those that are either underfed, or are fed diets that are low in fiber. This means horses that are not receiving enough roughage each day may start to eat feces to get the nutrients (i.e. fiber) that they are lacking.